Photo-engraving apparatus for printing cylinders



April 22, 1969 A. a POSCHEL PHOTO-ENGRAVING APPARATUS FOR P RINTINGCYLINDERS Filed Aug. 2. 1966 Sheet ATTORNEYS.

April 22, 1969 A. a. POSCHEL 2 f s m n N Mh S G N I T N m P R O F s U TA R A P P A G N I V A R G N E w .6 l "1-), L. u A. d e l i F FKSBINVENTOR ALFRED B. POSCHEL J, mwmw/ ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent F 3,439,984 PHOTO-ENGRAVING APPARATUS FOR PRINTINGCYLINDERS Alfred B. Poschel, Canterbury Court, 1220 N. State St.,Chicago, Ill. 60610 Filed Aug. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 569,735 Int. Cl. G03b27/06 U.S. Cl. 355-85 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Aphoto-engraving apparatus capable of utilizing printing cylinders ofvarying length and diameter wherein pressure rollers are carried by armspivoted to the frame of the apparatus and the lamp housing of theapparatus is similarly pivoted to the frame to facilitate substitutionof printing cylinders. The cylinder support bearings are made to bereadily movable in a direction parallel to the cylindrical axis toenhance handling of varying cylinder lengths. The pressure rollers aremounted resiliently on the support arms to increase the effectiveness ofthe operation of the apparatus.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for copying, by lightexposure, designs and lettering from a photographic film on a sensitizedprinting cylinder, the apparatus also being suitable for use inphoto-engraving techniques. More particularly, the invention relates toan apparatus for the processing of medium. and small sized printingcylinders which may have differing body and shaft diameters and to thefacilitated interchangeability of such printing cylinders.

It is an object of the present invention to make available a simplifiedapparatus for producing reproducible images which can be manufacturedand sold at a lower cost and with a reduction in required materialswithout sacrificing efiiciency when compared to other more complicateddevices. In use, the apparatus of the invention will promote efficiencyin photo-engraving processes by reducing the time and effort required toremove and reinstall the printing cylinder of the apparatus. Theapparatus of the invention, therefore, is designed to facilitate theinstallation and use of printing cylinders having face lengths of aboutone to thirty inches and a variety of supporting shaft diameters.

The use of the apparatus will promote efficiencyand will save time andlabor in the engraving process by its easy operation and itsadaptability to different cylinder diameters and shaft sizes andfurther, by its capability to serve besides copying, for other necessaryfunctions, such as developing the exposed cylinder, cleaning and dryingit while rotating and possibly even etching and later finishing thecylinder as needed.

In the apparatus of the invention, provision is made for the utilizingof pivotally mounted elongated pressure rollers which are designed tobear against the printing cylinder as it is rotated on its bearings.These pressure rollers are carried by arms which are pivoted to oppositeends of the frame of the apparatus and which can be positioned andmaintained in preselected positions with respect to the printingcylinder. Both the pressure roller support arms and the rollersthemselves can be pivoted out of the way of the printing cylinder tofacilitate the removal of the cylinder and replacement of another ofeither the same or different diameter and/or length. The pressurerollers can then be rotated back into contact with the printing cylinderbeing adjustable to conform to the diameter of the new cylinder.

The pressure rollers in the apparatus of the invention while capable ofaccommodating a variety of diameters Patented Apr. 22, 1969 ice andlengths of printing cylinders in a copying or photoengraving apparatus,act to maintain a uniform predetermined pressure on the cylinder onwhich they engage.

In addition to the pivotal mounting of the dual pressure rollers to theframe of the photo-engraving apparatus, the lamp housing structure isalso pivoted to the frame of the apparatus. The pivotal mounting of thelamp housing of the unit acts in conjunction with the pivoted rollers tofacilitate and expedite the interchange of the printing cylinders andthe servicing of the components of the lamp housing. When it is desiredto replace or substitute printing cylinders, it is a fairly simplematter to pivot the lamp housing and its contents a predetermineddistance in order to clear the area of the printing cylinder so that itmay be replaced.

The apparatus of the invention therefore provides a construction whichwill permit the controlled exertion of pressure on printing cylinders ofwidely varying diameters and lengths, and will facilitate thereplacement of the cylinders in a manner such that the versatility of asingle photo-engraving apparatus can be greatly enhanced.

Various objects and advantages of the invention will become more fullyapparent from the following description of the drawings illustratingpresently preferred embodiments thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial end elevational view of an apparatus of theinvention illustrating, in particular, the pivotally mounted lamphousing and pressure rollers;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation of the photo-engraving apparatus ofthe invention; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end elevational view illustrating a means foradjusting a pressure roller supporting arm.

The basic elements of the copying or photo-engraving apparatus of theinvention are illustrated in FIGURE 1. An end stand, generallydesignated 1, which is a frame element of the unit, is suitablysupported by a base (not shown) and, as is shown in FIG. 2, a second endstand, generally designated 2, which is similar to end stand 1 in itsmaterial aspects, is positioned in spaced relationship with respect tostand 1. Stands 1 and 2, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, are interconnectedand braced by a pair of reinforced side rails 3 and 4. Additionalcross-bar bracing (not shown) can be employed in connection with thesupporting base. These side rails are carefully aligned with each otherin a manner such that the inner and upper rail surfaces are in parallelrelationship and at the same vertical level on the opposed end stands.

The side rails 3 and 4 serve to support a pair of independently movablecylinder shaft support bearings which are generally designated 5 and 6and best illustrated in FIG. 2. It can be seen in FIG. 1 that cylindershaft support bearing 5 is movable longitudinally on the side rails ofthe apparatus on wheels 7 and 8 which are designated to freely roll uponthese rails. Wheels 7 and 8 of support bearing 5 are rotatably mountedthereon between guide elements 9 and 10 and 11 and 12, respectively,which are secured to and depend vertically from support plates 13 and 14carried by the support bearing 5. These plates are connected tocross-support 15 of the cylinder shaft support bearing 5. Thecross-support 15, as is best viewed in FIG. 1, serves to interconnectthe guide elements of wheels 7 and 8 and to act as a platform for ahousing 16 which carries a pair of wheel bearings 17 and 18. The wheelbearings 17 and 18 are positioned in housing 16 in spaced relationshipwith their axes parallel to that of the rails and are freely rotatablein the housing. A portion of each of the spaced wheel bearings protrudesabove the housing to rotatably receive and support one end of thesupport shaft 19 of a printing cylinder 20.

The structural features of cylinder shaft support bearing 6 is similarto that of bearing 5 and, where necessary for descriptive purposes, theapplicable reference numerals of bearing 5 will be applied to theidentical parts of hearing 6. As can be seen in FIG. 2, both bearings 5and 6 can be moved along the rails 3 and 4 of the apparatus on wheels 7and 8 to accommodate a virtually infinite number of printing cylinderlengths on wheel bearings 17 and 18. The overall diameter of theprinting cylinder which is supported between movable bearings 5 and 6,as can be seen in FIG. 2, can also be widely varied.

Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that bearing housing 16 isfabricated in the form of a generally U-shaped yoke wih the legs of theyoke depending from the base thereof. A threaded shaft 21 is positionedwith an end in engagement with the base of the yoke and with its otherend projecting through cross-support 15 of the cylinder shaft supportbearing. An enlarged supporting nut 22 is threaded onto shaft 21 and isadapted to rest upon crosssupport 15 in predetermined position with thebase of the yoke of bearing housing 16 resting thereupon. By securingthe end of shaft 21 projecting from cross-support 15 and by rota ing thesupporting nut 22 in one direction or the other, the vertical positionof wheel bearings 17 and 18 can simply be adjusted to accommodate a widerange of diameters of printing cylinder supporting shafts 19. Thisadjustment is important in making it possible to use a drive systemwhich can be maintained at a fixed level while the vertical position ofwheel bearings 17 and 18 can be adjusted through shaft 21 and nut 22 toalign various cylinder shaft diameters with the drive system. Bothcylinder support bearings 5 and 6 use similar adjustment means.

The end stand 1, as shown in FIG. 1, consists of a pair of spacedendposts 25 and 26 connected by a cross-member 27 and disposed in raisedrela ion thereto with end post 25 in slightly elevated relation withrespect to post 26. and end stand 2 is similarly constructed. A pair ofpillow blocks 28 are mounted upon a support plate 29 and both arerigidly secured to cross-member 27 of end stand I. These pillow blocksare provided with an aperture 30 through which drive shaft 31 projects.The drive shaft, which is driven from a source not shown, is coupled tocylinder support shaft 19 by a sleeve coupling 32 secured to therespective shaft ends and serves to rotate the cylinder 20 atpredetermined speeds.

As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of roller arms 35 and 36 are pivotallymounted to the raised portions of end posts 25 and 26, respectively, ofend stand 1. Each of the roller arms 35 and 36 are keyed at 37 and 38,respectively, to shafts 39 and 40, respectively. Shaft 40 extends inparallel relationship to the longitudinal axis of cylinder 20 from endpost 26 to the opposite end post 41 of end stand 2 and is journalled inbronze bushings therein for rotation as is shown in FIG. 2 and projectsa short distance through the opposed end posts. A third roller arm 42,shown in FIG. 2, is keyed to shaft 40 adjacent to end post 41 in amanner such that both roller arms 36 and 42 are maintained at the sameangle of elevation at all times on shaft 40.

While not shown in FIG. 2 for purposes of clarity, shaft 39 alsoprojects in parallel axial relationship with cylinder 20 from end post25 to a corresponding end post on end stand 2 where it is journalled. Afourth roller arm (not shown) is keyed to shaft 39 in a manner similarto arm 42 to maintain it at the same angle of elevation asarm 35 at alltimes on the shaft.

Lever arms 45 and 46 are keyed at 47 and 48, respectively, to shafts 39and 40 on the sides of end posts 25 and 26 of stand 1 opposite that ofroller arms 35 and 36. The lever arms are designed in a manner such thatupon manually depressing either or both of them, the correspondingroller arms are thereby proportionately elevated.

As is shown in FIG. 3, the end of shaft 40 which projects from the endpost 26 is provided with ratchet teeth 50 extending from the peripherythereof and into engagement with a pawl 51 pivoted to end post 26 andbiased into normal operative position by a leaf spring 52. The

pawl and ratchet arrangement illustrated serves to permit theapplication of additional downward pressure to the rollers and againstthe printing cylinder and to maintain the roller arms 36 and 42 in apredetermined elevated position with respect to the cylinder 20 when thepressure rollers are not in use. The pawl 51. may be manually biasedagainst the leaf spring 52 to release the ratchet and thereby leveractuated shaft 40 to move the roller arms in an opposite direction. Ascan be seen in FIG. 1, shaft 39 and end post 35 are similarly equippedwith a pawl and ratchet arrangement to produce the controlled movementof the roller arms connected thereto.

FIG. 1 most clearly illustrates the construction of the rollersupporting ends of arms 35 and 36 which are identical in all materialrespects to the end construction of the roller arms pivoted adjacent toend stand 2. The roller arms are formed with generally U-shaped slots 53which open upwardly from the end of each arm. A bushing 54 contained bya generally spool-shaped rim 55 having the top surface 56 thereofsheared-off is inserted into each of the U-shaped slots. When in properoperative position, the flat top surface 56 of each rim 55 facesupwardly from the U-shaped slot 53, and the bushing centers of each ofthe arm pairs are aligned in co-axial relationship. A squared end spring57 is inserted into each of the U-shaped slots and rests on the top fiatsurface 56 of rim 55. A spring cover 58 is secured to each of the armsover the U-shaped slots 53 by bolts 59. Cover 58 is provided with acentrally located projection 60 which is inserted into the innerdiameter of the squared end spring 57 to properly align the spring withrespect to the cover, rim and slot and thereby produces effectivefloating bearings for the pressure cylinders.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, pressure rollers 65 and 66, which have anouter resilient covering such as rubber, are rotatably mounted by shafts67 and 68, respectively, in the co-axial bushings 54 carried by arms 35and 36, respectively, and the arms interconnected and aligned therewithby shafts 39 and 40, respectively. The pressure rollers 65 and 66 arethereby resiliently mounted in floating bearings on the arms and canresiliently respond through the spring biased bushings and rims to theoperation of the cylinder 20 as it rotates under the pressure contact ofrollers 65 and 66.

The rollers 65 and 66 serve to guide a film being processed With somepressure along the surface of the rotating printing cylinder 20 duringthe copying phase of the process. In addition to the guiding function,the rollers also exercise a tensioning action on the film and produce aclose contact between the fllm and the cylinder surface. To augment thetensioning of the film on cylinder 20', a simple brake consisting of anarm 61 pivoted to roller support arm 42 at 62 can be rotated intoengagement with shaft 68 of the roller 66 to stop or to selectivelyreduce the amount of rotation of roller 66 as is required in tensioningfilm being processed. By slowing the rotation of roller 66 in relationto the surface speed of the film on printing cylinder 20, front roller66 can produce a squeegeeing action to any fluid used in connection withthe copying process.

To reduce the torque exerted on the outer ends of the roller arms byadjustments made of lever arms 45 and 46, a pair of connecting rods 69and 70, positioned in parallel axial relationship to cylinder 20, aresecured to the arms controlled by shaft 39 and another pair of axiallyparallel connecting rods 71 and 72 are secured to arms 36 and 42 asshown in FIG. 1. These connecting rods act to impart rigidity to therespective shaft and arm structures during operation of thephoto-engraving apparatus and to maintain the pressure rollers inconstant parallel align ment with the longitudinal axis of cylinder 20.The rods also serve to prevent the deflection of either of the arms ofassociated pairs from their original alignment after extensive raisingand lowering of the pressure rollers. For purposes of clarity,connecting rods 71 and 72 which extend horizontally between and areconnected to arms 36 and 42 have been omitted from FIG. 2.

To further facilitate the removal and replacement of cylinder 20 of thephoto-engraving apparatus, the lamp housing and its contents, whichordinarily include a high intensity mercury vapor lamp and are generallydesignated 75,, is supported by an arm 76 keyed at 77 to a rotatableshaft 78, positioned axially with respect to cylinder 20, which isjournalled in end post 25 of end stand 1 and is generally verticallyspaced above roller arm shaft 39. This arm 76, as in the case withrespect to the roller arms 35 and 36, has a corresponding arm keyed toshaft 78 at a point adjacent end stand 2 of the apparatus. These armsare positioned at the same angle of elevation on the shaft 78 and aresecured at opposite ends of lamp housing 75. A pair of horizontallyextending connecting rods 79 and 80, which are axially aligned withshaft 78 and cylinder 20, extend between and are connected to the lamphousing support arms. They act in the same manner as those employed inconnection with the roller arms.

The lamp housing has an adjustable slotted opening 83 through which thelight beam is directed on top of the rotating cylinder. The mercury lampis suspended within the housing and it is also possible to raise orlower the lamp somewhat within the housing if needed. The lamp housingitself rests on two cross rods 84 and 85 which in turn are connectedwith the supporting arms. A slot in front of the top of the supportingarms permits by means of a set screw and a pivotal action of the housingto direct and center the light beam still better if needed. The lamphousing is also generally provided with an exhaust system to preventoverheating.

A ratchet and pawl arrangement, similar in all material respects to thatillustrated in FIG. 3 in connection with the adjustment of arm 36, isprovided on the end of shaft 78 projecting from end post 25 and on'endpost 25. A lever arm 81 is keyed at 82 to the projecting end of theshaft 78 and acts to produce the manual adjustment of the lamp housingwith respect to cylinder 20.

Again, for purposes of clarity, the lamp housing and supportingstructure has been omitted from FIG. 2 since the construction isbelieved to be fully understandable from the illustration of FIG. 1 andthe mounting of roller 66 in FIG. 2.

In operation, cylinder support bearings and 6 are moved on rails 3 and 4until they have been spaced apart a distance determined by the length ofthe cylinder 20 and the supporting shaft 19 projecting therefrom. Leverarm 46 is depressed to elevate the pressure roller 66 supported by arms36 and 42 and rigidly interconnected by rotating shaft 40 and connectingrods 71 and 72. The arms and rollers supported thereby are moved out ofthe area cylinder support bearings 5 and 6 and into an in clinedposition with respect to posts 26 and 41. A similar operation isperformed with respect to lever 45 to move roller 65 and its supportingstructure away from the area of the cylinder support bearings until thearms thereof rest against lamp housing pivot shaft 68. Next, lamphousing 75 and its contents are elevated and rotated out of the cylindersupport bearings area by actuation of the manually operable lever arm 81and may be dropped until it rests in an inclined position against theframe. In each of the above cases, the position of the pressure rollersand lamp housing when moved out of the area of the cylinder supportbearings is maintained by a ratchet control arrangement of the typeillustrated in FIG. 3 or by resting upon some portion of the frame.

The supporting shaft ends 19 of the cylinder 20 are placed on the wheelbearings 17 and 18 of cylinder support bearing 5 and the similarstructure of cylinder support bearing 6. After the cylinder has beenproperly positioned, the left end of shaft 19, as shown in FIG. 2, iscoupled to drive shaft 31 which projects through pillow block 28supported on cross-member 27 of end stand 1. The coupling 32 acts torigidly lock the drive shaft 31 to the cylinder support shaft 19 wherebythe cylinder may be rotated by a suitable motive force at apredetermined rate.

To place the cylinder 20 in its operative position, both pressurerollers and support arms are rotated by levers 45 and 46 until rollers65 and 66 come into substantially complete pressure exerting engagementwith portions of the periphery of cylinder 20, and lamp housing 75 isrotated by lever 81 into its normal operative position vertically abovethe longitudinal axis of the cylinder 20. Since pressure rollers 65 and66 extend almost complete width of the span between end stands 1 and 2,the pressure exerted thereby can be used effectively on either elongatedor short cylinders. Further, since the rollers are pivotally mounted,the cylinder diameters can vary over a wide range while maintainingeffective pressure contact with the rollers. And, due to the simplicityof operation of the apparatus, the rollers can be elevated or adjustedat any time during the copying or photo-engraving operation.

As to the lamp housing 75, this can be more effectively maintained andrepaired by rotation to a position which is more convenientlyaccessible.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as beingwithin the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out anddistinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as theinvention.

I claim:

.1. An apparatus for producing a reproducible image on a cylindercomprising a frame, a lamp housing associated with the frame, means onthe frame for rotatably supporting the cylinder on a predetermined axis,a roller support arm having fist and second ends, the first end of thearm being pivotally connected to the frame in a fixed position on theframe substantially immovable with respect to the axis of the cylinder,the second end of the roller support arm being a substantially free endfor selective disposition in preselected angular relationships withrespect to the predetermined axis of the cylinder, co-operable means onthe frame and on the roller support arm operatively linked together anddisposed adjacent the pivotal connection of the arm to the frame and thefirst end of the arm for establishing a predetermined angularrelationship between the second end of the arm and the periphery of thecyl inder and for producing the selectively controlled arcuate movementof the support arm toward and away from the axis of the cylinder, and apressure exerting roller assembly including a roller r-otatably carriedby the roller support arm adjacent the second end thereof.

2. An apparatus accoridng to claim 1, wherein resilient biasing meansare connected to the roller support arm adjacent the second end thereofand disposed in resilient engagement with at least a portion of theroller assembly for producing the resilient and rotatable support of thepressure exerting roller on the roller support arm.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, including a second roller support armpivoted to the frame of the apparatus, a second pressure exerting rollerassembly rotatably supported on the second arm and being movable intoand out of contact with the cylinder along the longitudinal axisthereof, the pivotally supported pressure rollers being disposed withtheir longitudinal axes in parallel relationship.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the means on the frame forrotatably supporting the cylinder on a predetermined axis comprise atleast a pair of spaced bearing means locatable at opposite ends of thecylinder, at least one of said pair of bearing means being mounted uponrollers carried by track means connected to the frame and extending inparallel relationship with respect to the cylinder axis, the rollermounted bearing means being freely movable on the track means and inparallel relation with the axis of the cylinder to accommodate cylindersof varying axial lengths.

5. The apparatus of claim \1 wherein the lamp housing of the apparatusis pivotally connected to the frame thereof to permit movement of thelamp housing into and out of its normally operative position withrespect to the cylinder.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure exerting rollerassembly includes a first roller and supported by a first plurality ofroller support arms pivoted to the frame in fixed positions on the frameand in spaced rela- ,tionship and being simultaneously actuable toadjust the position of the first roller with respect to the longitudinalaxis of the cylinder, a second plurality of spaced roller support armspivoted to the frame of the apparatus in fixed positions with respectthereto and being simultaneously actuable for selective adjustment oftheir position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, asecond pressure exerting roller rotatably supported by the secondplurality of support arms, the first and second plurality of supportarms being pivotally connected to the frame of the apparatus adjacentthe first ends thereof and on opposite sides of the cylinder, thelongitudinal axes of the first and second rollers being positioned inparallel alignment each with the other and both with the longitudinalaxis of the cylinder, the pivotally mounted support arms beingadjustable in a manner permitting the exertion of pressure by therollers carried adjacent the second ends thereof on a wide range ofcylinder diameters and being pivotable to an angle facilitating theremoval and replacement of cylinders without substantial disruption ofthe apparatus 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the lamp housing ofthe image producing apparatus is pivotally connected to the framethereof, the lamp housing being positioned in normally operative axiallyaligned relationship with the cylinder at one extreme of its pivotalmovement and being pivotable out of interfering relationship withrespect to the cylinder, the pivotally mounted lamp housing and pressurerollers acting co-operably to facilitate removal and replacement ofcylinders.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first plurality of rollersupport arms are interconnected by a shaft as are the second pluralityof roller support arms and ratchet means are co-operably connected tothe frame of the apparatus and to the shafts to permit the predeterminedsimultaneous angular adjustment of the rollers with respect to theprinting cylinder.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the lamp housing is pivotallymounted on the frame of the apparatus by a plurality of spaced lampsupport arms pivoted thereto, the spaced support arms beinginterconnected by a shaft, and angular adjustment means co-operablyconnected to the frame of the apparatus and to the shaft to permit thepredetermined and simultaneous angular adjustment of the lamp arms andthe lamp housing carried thereby with respect to the printing cylinder.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a friction braking lever ispivotally connected to the frame and having a portion thereof disposedadjacent the pressure exerting roller assembly for selectively alteringthe rotation of the rotatable pressure roller by the frictionalengagement of th lever with a portion of the roller assembly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,497,991 2/1950 Huebner -7752,833,193 5/1958 Poschel 95--77.5 3,136,237 6/1964 Moon 9577.5

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES B. FUNK, Assistant Examiner.

